My reading wrapped: the books I liked and the books I didn’t (spoiler: I liked all of them). Romance, horror, current issues; a little bit of everything because I can never decide which genre I like best. Hopefully, one of these will be your next read, or make it to your TBR!
1. There Should Have Been Eight: Nalini Singh
I was on a horror kick this year, what can I say? I typically find that I am able to guess “who did it” pretty soon into starting a book, but man did this one get me. I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen before it happened, and that made this book five stars for me.
As a little plot teaser, a group of seven friends have a reunion years after the eighth of their group tragically passed away. They meet at one of the group’s old houses, far from any other civilization (silly, I know). They get snowed in, and while they start reminiscing about their late friend, they start dying. Was their friend’s death really an accident, or could one of the eight have brought on their friend’s demise?
If you’re into a book that will keep the page-turning, but also probably give you nightmares, this one is for you. 5/5!
2. Better Than The Movies: Lynn Painter
Fair warning, be emotionally prepared for this one. My roommate can attest, that I fully put the book down multiple times out of pure annoyance that this was not how high school was for me. However, it was one of the cutest books I’ve ever read.
It all starts with a parking spot; the best on the block, perhaps, but a parking spot nonetheless. Wes and Liz, our two main characters, have a sort of rivalry about the coveted spot mentioned above. Liz hates Wes, she thinks he’s rude, deceptive, and not at all someone she would want to be friends with. However, when an old love interest moves back into town, and turns out to be best buds with Wes, Liz must enlist his help to get him to notice her.
An easy read, this book made me excited for my designated 8 PM reading time and had me smiling ear to ear by the end. 5/5!
3.The Girl on the Train: Paula Hawkins
Another page-turner, “who did it” guesser, and overall shocking read from this semester. I was worried I wasn’t going to enjoy this one, as it deals with a plotline thickened with addiction and job struggles. I usually read books that center around lighter topics in order to relax at the end of a long day. However, this book has thoroughly changed my mind about what it means to be an empathetic person.
Rachel, our main character, has a problem. Not only does she struggle with addiction, but every day she is plagued on her commute by “the perfect couple.” “Jess and Jason,” as she has dubbed them, seem to have the perfect life, the life that she deserves. She had that life, but it is since far gone and far forgotten. Yet, one day she sees something that’s not quite right. Could it be, that “Jess and Jason’s” perfect life is not so perfect after all?
Again, I usually read more light-hearted, easy-to-put-down books to ease my mind. This book, however, made me reconsider a lot about how I view others, and how little we as people know about each other’s lives. 4/5!
4.Love and Other Words : Christina Lauren
There’s nothing I love more than a good two-timeline book. Macy and Elliot met when they were young and quickly grew to love each other. The story stems from their young love and their current non-existent relationship. But what went wrong? Macy and Elliot cared so much about each other, how could that go away in a single night? As the timelines catch up to each other, this book forces the reader to consider just how easily miscommunication can ruin a relationship, yet how often it happens.
I think that this book is an important read, especially for a college student. It discusses very real issues and obstacles that if we have not faced yet, we will at some point. If you had to take one recommendation from me for your next book, it would be this one! 5/5!
I fully believe that reading is one of the most influential ways to tackle issues in a way that seems manageable. Books can be comforting and reassuring, but also educational and important. Finding those silly romance books that make you stare at a wall and think when you’re done is more influential to me than any TikTok or Instagram Reel I’ll ever see. Reading someone else’s story can inspire you to be more proactive or empathetic in your own, which I think is a common theme I see in the books I read.
I hope one of these is your next read, or that this encourages you to try a new genre!